Assault weapons ban round up
Remember when a bunch of angry blue-staters wanted to secede? Now Maine is looking at becoming two states:
The “Two Maines” debate has shown little sign of fading, however, particularly with the widening economic divide between the two regions revealed in the most recent census numbers.
Sen. Ethan Strimling, D-Portland, said this week that Joy’s secession talk only adds fuel to what amounts to an unproductive debate.
“We need to build bridges between these communities, not walls. We’re all in this together,” said Strimling, noting that Portland – although it is the state’s major economic engine – has not cornered the market on political power.
“I’ve been trying to get gun control through for a long time,” said Strimling, pinning its demise on formidable opposition from rural areas. “I can’t even get an assault weapons ban.”
In the end, splitting the state in two is an unlikely prospect at best, most agree, and Joy himself conceded he hasn’t nailed down all the details involved with introducing another state to the union.
JoinTogether on the Gonzales confirmation:
“Gonzales also should be pressed to explain what he intends to do to follow through on the Bush Administration’s commitment to close the loophole that allows criminals to avoid background checks when buying firearms at gun shows. The Bush Administration claimed to support renewing the assault weapons ban yet stood by in silence as it expired, and Congress deserves to know whether the Justice Department is serious about keeping guns away from criminals.”
I’m curious about Gonzales and gun control. I’m not pleased with his nomination but then anybody who wants to be AG probably shouldn’t be.
A letter to the editor on the meaningless ban.
In New York, the city council upped the penalties for violating the city’s assault weapons ban. In other news, people prone to break that law still don’t care.
January 7th, 2005 at 10:37 am
If i was rual main, i would definatly suceed.
It is the easist way of solving problems, you go your way and i go mine. And we will see who does better.
January 7th, 2005 at 12:54 pm
While I can certainly sympathize, I kind of think that subdividing existing polities isn’t a good long-term solution. Witness the Balkans. Taken to extremes, you get what P.J. O’Rourke called “The Republic of You-and-Me-and-I’m-not-so-sure-about-me.”
Although I have to admit that the idea of being dictator of Thibodonia is appealing.
January 7th, 2005 at 6:09 pm
The secession movement up here in New York is far more serious than I suspected. It’s the city more than the state. There are enough people who are fed up with Albany and what they hear about the “red states” that they are talking goo goo. Damndest thing I ever saw. I certainly empathize, but it doesn’t seem like a very good idea in the long run. Other than Hong Kong or Singapore, where have city states thrived or even survived? Then again, we are an island.
Oh yeah. Gonzales is a big fat loser. His testimony was the most cowardly bunch of evasion and mush-mouthing I’d ever seen. I don’t want my AG to be a brown-nosing yes man to an overprivileged underachiever. It’s not clear that he has any principles of his own.
January 7th, 2005 at 7:47 pm
The tired, old “gun show loophole” myth
Say Uncle talks here about Maines petty squabbles trying to disarm its populace. Nothing new but something in it really pissed me off. ?Gonzales also should be pressed to explain what he intends to do to follow through on the Bush Administration?